December gets off to a welcome soggy start
Street pile pick-up through Jan. 23 in Sacramento
Stroll the grounds and residence during the December open house
Sacramento's overdue for a good soaking
Dog adoptions, music and more at special event in Oak Park
East Sacramento tradition features five designer-decorated homes
'Rubied sprouts' feature two seasonal favorites
After sunny days, change is in the air; rain's due Thursday
Elk Grove garden store hosts family fun along with sale
Celebrate, learn about and purchase California natives
Just in time for fall color, a new self-guided tour teaches about varieties on campus
Fun outdoor events at the Carmichael nature center this weekend
Indoor plant store in Davis draws shoppers via social media
Try mandarins in an easy parfait dessert
Frost could be in the forecast. Make the most of clear days in the garden.
New location replaces locally owned business's first store
Frosty weather can endanger trees and fruit
Enjoy live music and plenty of mandarin-flavored foods
Find handmade arts and crafts (and food) in time for holiday shopping
See mums of all types and learn how to grow them, too
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 17
Expect the coming storms to knock down an enormous amount of leaves. Grab a rake and get to work!
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Use some of those nice fall leaves as mulch around shrubs and trees or in the vegetable garden.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then, they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.